2. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Introduction Ron Immink Manager Invent –Business development –Marketing Invent –Manage portfolio of 40 innovative technology ventures Background –Dutch –BA Small Business (!!!) –Entrepreneur since 1988 –Specialist in small business development –Author of several best-sellers on business development –EBRD/OECD

3. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Invent-DCU Opened 2002 9.3 mln investments 2800 m2 210 m2 wet labs 5 floors 49 units Started as incubator Since 2004 managing intellectual property of DCU Commercialisation gateway/foundry –Spin off –Licensing –SME linkages (spin in)

4. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Resource for Commercialisation of ideas arising from University research programmes Entrepreneurs amongst DCU staff, graduates, undergraduates, alumni Entrepreneurs originating off campus who wish to use DCU expertise

5. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Faculties  Dublin City University Business School  Faculty of Engineering and Computing  Computing  Electronic Engineering  Mechanical & Manufacturing  Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences  Applied Language and Intercultural Studies  Communications Education Studies Fiontar Law and Government  Faculty of Science and Health  Biotechnology Chemical Sciences  MathematicsNursing  Physical SciencesHealth and Human Performance  Oscail (Distance Education)  Ryan academy; Centre for excellence in entrepreneurship

6. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Research centres National Research Centres National Centre for Sensor Research National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology  National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology  Research Institute for Networks and Communications Engineering University Designated Research Centres 1.Centre for Digital Video Processing 2.Centre for International Studies 3.Centre for Research in Management Learning and Development 4.Centre for Society, Information and Media (SIM) 5.Centre for Translation and Textual Studies 6.Materials Processing Research Centre 7.Vascular Health Research Centre 8.International Centre for Neurotherapeutics 9.Centre for Advancement of Science Teaching and Learning

7. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Research Nearly 60 mln capital investment Over 50% of DCU income is now research based Bigger emphasis on: – Commercialisation –Tech transfer –Innovation –Industry linkage –SME linkage

8. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Invent today 40 Invent clients Total valuation 21 mln Invent stake € 750,000 53 patents in portfolio

9. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Some Invent companies Spin in Sigmoid; drug delivery Lexas; plasma manufacturing Spin off Slidepath; virtual slides for pathology Phive; plasma screens GSS; sensor technology In between Qualflow; cleaning control and sensor technology Impedans; instrumentation

10. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Invent added value Process Knowledge and expertise Connectivity/network(2 phone calls away)

11. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Activities for Invent clients Plug and play approach SPOTcheck (checks growth potential of company) Ongoing business support (informal) Access to DCU expertise/branding Resident experts oInnovation oLaw oAccounting oMarketing oSales oInspiration Innovators forum Multinationals/angels/VCs/soft capital/help International contacts

12. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Culture Incentive schemes Commercialisation booklet Outreach Training/common language Symbols of success Enterprise fellows

13. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Ireland 250,000 SME’s 25,000 start ups a year High on GEM Celtic tiger High dependency on multinationals R+D Increasing focus back to SMEs –Innovation –Export

14. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Investment-Driven Economy    Input CostEfficiencyUnique value Key Transition (Paradigm Shift) Innovation-Driven Economy Factor-Driven Economy R&D Investment

15. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Ireland National Development Plan II 2007-2013  €4.5bn investment programme  Investment & Development Agency (IDA)  Still focus on foreign direct investment (high added value)  Increases in basic science investment  Science Foundation Ireland  Higher Education Authority  Graduate School development  Ca €2.5bn investment in third level sector  Double PhD output by 2013

16. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Instruments Incubators in all higher education institutes Tech transfer –Entrepreneurs –SMEs –Multinationals Enterprise Ireland (high potential/technology) Enterprise boards (“normal”) IDA (foreign direct investment) Training programmes SMEs Irish Diaspora

17. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Entrepreneurship development Highly fragmented in Ireland 3 tiers –Ordinary entrepreneur –Technology entrepreneur –Social/green entrepreneur Inventors are ignored!

18. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Teaching Workshops/seminars START programme Enterprise platform Universities –Old fashioned –Too academic –Some project based learning

19. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU New thinking Embedded business development (post doc level) Action based learning Closer links between incubators and teaching (Finland) For and by students (SIE) Secondary level/primary level

20. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Some Personal observations Schools kill entrepreneurship –4 year olds 96% belief they can be whatever they want –20 year old ? Not only skill, but a life choice (fire in the belly) Passion Is about talent spotting Story telling (the pitch) is getting lost Starting is not the problem, growing is Execution, execution, execution Learning by doing Engineering is the issue, business is teaching monkeys how to dance Thinking/creativity

21. © 2006 Copyright Invent-DCU Contact details If you want to talk: Ron: 01-7005721 086-8271490 Ron.immink@invent.dcu.ie